Falcon Heights to Begin Charging for Street Parking During Minnesota State Fair

Image: Minnesota State Fair | Caitlin Abrams tcbmag.com

Falcon Heights is moving forward with plans to introduce paid street parking during the Minnesota State Fair. During a meeting on Wednesday, the City Council approved key motions to advance the program, aiming to offset rising costs associated with the fair.

The council approved a change to city code allowing electronic parking meters and authorized negotiations with ParkMobile, a parking meter company. While these steps set the plan in motion, additional work remains, including passing a resolution to finalize the dates and locations for the meters.

Under the proposed plan, parking on designated streets near the fairgrounds would cost $25 per day. Of that fee, Falcon Heights would retain $20, while $5 would go to the vendor. The specifics of the program are still being finalized, but the current focus is on residential streets near Snelling and Larpenteur Avenues. Streets closer to the fair entrance, such as those along Midway Parkway, fall under St. Paul’s jurisdiction and will not be affected.

Temporary signage will mark areas where paid parking is required. City officials say the initiative is designed to help cover increasing expenses during the fair, including police overtime and street maintenance. Previous efforts to have the fair itself contribute to these costs were unsuccessful.

The task force overseeing the project estimates the parking program could generate between $100,000 and $200,000 in revenue. Officials also hope it will encourage better parking compliance in the area during the event.